Collapsible container



Dec. 14, 1937. M WALSTRQM 2,102,048

COLLAPS IBLE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 0)%6Zz/ [Jam 3% 22% ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 14, 1937. A. M. WALSTROM 2,102,048

GOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 14, 1937. A. M. WALSTROM COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNFYS Dec. 14, 1937. A. M. WALSTROM 2,102,048

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N V EN TOR.

elw/l/f W A TTORNEYS.

A. M. WALSTROM I COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 29, 1936 I INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 14, 1937 NT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Axel M. Walsh-om, to The Creamery Minneapolis, Minn; assignor Package Mfg.

Company, Chimo, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 29, 1938, 'Serial No. 68,368

My invention relates to collapsible containers. More specifically, it relates to a type of'iilb'reboard box which may be used for shipping butter, lard, margerine, etc, which are usually cut into one pound prints and wrapped in individual parchment wrappers. One type of container now used for this purpose is made of a single sheet of paper fibreboard, creased and notched to form a rectagular box with overlapping edge a fibreboard box' which is formed principally flaps which extend to the center and are glued together to form the bottom and top of the box. In setting up such boxes for use, weights are placed in the bottom of each box after the glue is applied to its bottom flaps and these weightsmust be left in place for some time until the glue has dried. This preliminary gluing operation requires considerable time andspace in the packing rooms and must be repeated on top of the container when the boxes are filled. Also, when such glued boxes are opened at their destination they are usually mutilated so as to make them unfit for further use.

One of the objects r my invention is to provide a fibreboard box in which these gluing operations are unnecessary. v A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of finger grip on opposite sides of the box near the top thereof, which finger grips serve as convenient handles whereby the box may be easily carried about. These finger grips also serve another important purpose as they have projections which can be inserted into slots in the top flanges 01 the box so as to secure the flanges and sides of the box in their closed posi-, tion, where they may be sealed in place by gummed paper tape, or sticker, to prevent unauthorized opening of the package.

7 .Another important feature of the new container consists of the manner in which one of the end panels normally serves as a bottom-panel.

This, is an advantage, for the reason that the end panels are of considerably smaller area and are consequently less likely to sag in the center with the weight of its contents; and the greater rigidity of the smaller panel is further increased by the narrow end flanges which extend under the edges of said bottom panel and are wire stitched thereto to serve as skids which protect the bottom from excessive wear and tear.

:A further object of my invention is to provide from two sheets of fibreboard,'eachsheet providing three of the six walls of the box whereby a minimum amount of the fibreboard is required in the construction of the box.

3 Claims. (01.229-23) A further-object of my invention is to provide a fibreboard box which will be rugged in construction, enabling it to stand the severe usage to which these boxes are subjected.

Further objects and advantages of the inven- 0 tion will be apparent from the description and claims.

In the drawings, in which invention are shown, I a

Figure 1 is aside view of the container in 1 closed position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing only the upper part of the box and showing-the latching flap or tongue withdrawn from latching position;

Fig. 2a is a view showing the shape of-one of the'sections of which the box is formed, folded down flat;

Fig.2!) is a,view showing the other section of which the box is formed, folded down fiat;

' Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the box substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4, showing one side closed'and latched by the hand grip device, the other side being shown in partially closed position;- 26

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the closed box on the line H of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a. plan view showing the box collapsed for shipment, storage, etc.

' Fig. 5a is a. section on the line 511-511 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a corner construction; p

Fig. 7 is a side view of another form of box embodying my invention; and

- Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the box shown in 35 Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the box shown is formed mainly from pieces of fibreboard A and B (shown in Figs. 2a and 2b). The piece of fibreboard 2, 40 shown in Fig. 2b, eventually forms the bottom and two opposite side walls of the box. The piece of fibre board A, shown in Fig. 2a, eventually becomes the top and two opposite end walls of the box. The sheet of fibreboard B is creased 45 to provide hinge joints l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, l, 8, 9, IO, Ii, i2, i3 and It in 'a manner well known I in thisart, whereby the ends l5 and I6, fiaps I1,

l8, i9, 20, 2|, 22, 23 and 24, and tabs 25, 2B,

21 and 28 may be swung to the desired positions 59 in putting the box together and closing it. Th fibreboard piece B is also creased to provide hinge joints 29 and 30 to enable the side wall member! to be swung to the desired position in putting the box together and closing it.

two forms 'of my In putting the box together, the fibreboard pieces A and B are placed substantially in the position shown in Fig. 4, with the flaps 23 and 24 lying underneath the bottom wall 3! of the fibre board piece B, after which these underlying flaps 23 and 24 are stapled to the bottom wall ii of the box, as shown at 32 in Figs. 4, 5 and 5d. Suitable tabs 23 and 24, which serve both as latches and handles as will be pointed out more in detail later, are stapled and 38, respectively, of the fibre board piece 13. The box is now complete so far as any factory operations are concerned and is ready either for shipment or to be set up for filling and closing.

For shipment or storage, the box is pressed down so as to lie substantially in a single plane, as shown in Figs. 5 and 5a, the flap-portions l1, l8, i9, 2|], 2|, 22, and 28 being spread out so as to lie in the plane of the part to which they are attached, the creased hinge construction permitting this collapsing of the box. A

If the box is to be set up for filling, the fibreboard piece A is placed in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, one of the side walls 36 of the fibre board piece 13 is swung up to the position shown in Fig. 3, the flaps i1 and is on the end walls l5 and I6 are swung so as to overlie the side wall 36, the top flap I8 is swung down to overlie the upper ends of the end wall flaps l1 and I9, and the tongue portion 21 of the tab 34 is inserted through the slot as in the adjacent flap I8 which extends down from the top wall 39, thus securely latching this side wall 36 in position.

The tabs 26 and 28 are tucked underneath the flaps 23 and 24, respectively, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, toform a rugged, secure corner construction.

For filling, the box may then be placed with the side wall 36 temporarily forming the bottom of the box and the articles, such as prints of butter or the like, may be compactly placed in the box. After the articles have been placed in the box, the other side wall 35, which is temporarily the top wall of the box, may be'swung to closed position, the fiaps 20 and 22 folded-inwardly on this wall as, the top flap 2| swims inwardly to overlie the upper ends of the fiaps 22 and 22 and the tongue portion 31 of the tab 23 inserted into the slot 38 in the flap 2|, the tabs 25 and 21 extending from the fiaps i1 and 20 being tucked underneath the flaps 23 and 24 in the same manner as previously described in connection with the tabs 26 and 28. 1

After the box is filled, the wall 2i serves as the bottom of the box since the tabs 23 and 34 forming the handle members are thus rendered easily accessible.

The flaps 23 and 24 underlying the bottom wall 3| of the box serve as wear and spacer members, acting as skids when. the box is moved around on the fioor, the securing staples 32 also serving as wear-resisting members. This protects the bottom wall of the box itself and the flaps add rigidity to the bottom of the box, preventing its bulging downwardly under the weight of the contents.

- As indicated above, the latching tabs 23 and 24 also serve as handle members since the hinge portion 40 of these tabs oifers a substantial surface for engagement by the fingers of the operator handling the boxes. as shown in Fig. 3. The tongue portion 31 of the tabs 33 and I4 is bent, as indicated at 4|, to facilitate the-insertion and to the side walls 25 23 and 24 and tabs 25, 2G, 21'

retention of the tongue with respect to the slot 38, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is quite similar to that just described'except that in this construction it is contemplated that it 5 may be desirable to glue the fiaps 20a and 22a directly to the outer surface of the side wall 25a in cases where a tightly sealed package is required. In this form, it willbe noted that the tab 33a, forming the securing and handling means, is fastened to the side wall 25a immediately below-the edge of the top fiap 2ia instead of underneath this fiap as disclosed in the construction of Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive. In this-form also, it is contemplated that the tongue 31a may be glued to the .top fiap 2|a instead of being inserted through a. slot in the'top fiap.

Although my improved container is made up of two sheets of fibreboard which are wirestitched together in cross-wise arrangement, as shown in Fig. 5, it actually requires less material than is used in the single sheet of the common container, due to the fact that the latter has a double thickness of material throughout both its large bottom and top panels, while the corresponding panels of the new container have a double thickness only where the narrow edge flanges overlap the sides. For this reason, the cost of my improved container should not exceed the cost of the old container, even though the labor cost of my improved container will slightly exceed that of the old.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A six-walled rectangular fibreboard box construction, one of the end walls of which has a. hinge connection with the bottom wall and is provided adjacent its upper edge. with a securing member having an upwardly extending tongue, the top wall having a flap extending downwardly therefrom between the upper portion of the ,end wall and the tongue, said fiap having an opening through which said tongue extends-said securing member comprising two I leaf portions having a hinge connection with each other, one of said leaf portions being secured to the end wall and the other leaf portion extending upwardly to form said tongue, said flap lying between said leaf portions and said hinge connection lying beneath the lower edge of said fiap whereby the securing member provides a hand hold for handling the box.

2.. A six-walled rectangular fibrebcard box construction, one of the end walls of which has a hinge connection with the bottom wall and is provided adjacent its upper edge with a securing member, having an upwardly extending tongue, the top wall having a flap extending downwardly therefrom between the upper portion of the end wall and the tongue, whereby the upwardly-extending tongue may be secured to the downwardly-extending fiap, said securing -member comprising two leaf portions having a hinge connection with each other, one of said leaf portions being seemed to the end wall and the other leaf portion extending upwardly to 10 3. A rectangular flbreboard box construction comprising top and bottom walls and a wall having a hinge connection with the bottom wall, the top wall having a flap extending downwardly therefrom overlapping and lying outside of the upper edge of the hinged wall, and means for securing said hinged wall to said flap comprising a tongue member secured to said hinged wall and to said flap, said tongue member comprising a first leaf portion secured to said hinged wall, a. second leaf portion ofiset outwardly with respect to said first leaf portion and secured to said downwardly extending flap, and a hinge portion connecting said ofiset leaf portions and lying below the lower edge of said downwardly extending flap to provide a finger hold for handling the box.

AXEL M. WAISTROM. 

